Latest News Articles

UMass Lowell’s Clean Green Challenge Application Deadline Has Been Extended!

On April 20th, the Innovation Hub is hosting the UMass Lowell Clean Green Challenge in collaboration with Adler Innovation and the UMass Lowell RIST institute.  The goal of the event is to provide a “commercialization booster shot” to budding entrepreneurs requiring the critical knowledge to take their idea to the next level.

Participants will receive a full day of learning from experts: the essence of product market fit and commercial thinking.  The evening will entail a pitch contest where applicants will showcase what they’ve learned and receive analysis and feedback from a panel of industry professionals. 

Finalists will be pitching for in kind prizes with the purse currently adding up to thousands and still growing! See further details below and click Apply Here to register now!

MassDOT Releases Updates on the Rourke Bridge Replacement Project

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced the release of copies of the slide deck and recording from the Rourke Bridge Replacement Project Public Information meeting on February 7, 2023.

These can be found on the project event page.

Project inquiries, written statements and other exhibits regarding the proposed undertaking may be submitted to the project team. Additionally, the MassDOT encourages you to sign up to receive project updates, traffic advisories and press releases if you haven’t already. 

Senator Markey’s Office Provides Massachusetts Legislation Updates

Senator Ed Markey’s staff provided the following legistlation updates regarding local transportation and environmental resources:

  1. The Biden-Harris Administration announced the first round of applications for two programs to help build electric vehicle charging infrastructure in communities across the United States. The deadline to apply for this first round of funding is May 30, 2023. More information about the application process can be found here. Eligible applicants include: county governments, municipal governments, state governments, public housing authorities, public/state institutions of higher education, and Native American tribal governments. 
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has provided a list of the 16 grant programs funded by the BIL/IRA. The EPA will be managing in the 2023-2024 grant cycle, and plans to update this list on a monthly basis, to keep the status of each program current.

For more information and any questions, email [email protected] or visit Senator Markey’s website below for more from his office.

Congressman Moulton Secures 1.36 Million for Community Improvement Projects in 2 M3 Communities

Passed as part of the final Government Funding Package for FY2023

Projects with secured funding in M3:

$1,000,000 for the Town of Burlington for the Mill Pond PFAS Filter Facility

The Town of Burlington will install a new filter facility at the Mill Pond water treatment plant to remove chemical compounds known as PFAS6 from the water supply as required by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection). The project will improve water quality for all residents of the Town, along with the commercial properties that utilize Town water.

$363,400 for Middlesex Community College’s Bedford Biotech Labs

Middlesex Community College will develop a specialized Life Sciences Center in Bedford to offer biotechnology classes and expand offerings in new areas such as bioinformatics. The project aims to develop a high level genetics lab course and short-term industry training in quality assurance, microscopy, as well as providing research opportunities.

Lowell High 2023 Career Speaker Week – recruiting local career professionals


MAKE AN IMPACT ON LOWELL KIDS – VOLUNTEER FOR LOWELL HIGH’S CAREER SPEAKER WEEK!

Lowell High & Project LEARN are teaming up for Lowell High’s 4th Annual Career Speaker Week to bring local professionals from all industries to share their stories and inspire the next generation of Lowell students.

More details below 👇

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WHEN: Week of March 6th – 10th 

WHERE: Lowell High School @ 50 Father Morissette Blvd, Lowell, MA

PARKING: There is street parking available on Kirk St. (one-way street) and Central Street. We are also a short walk from the public parking at the John Street Garage and Leo A. Roy Garage.

VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES

We’re seeking volunteers to speak with students about their career and educational path. Our goal is to help students gain more knowledge and insight on what their future can look like!

Career speaker time slots are for 50 minute class periods (speaking time is about ~30 to 40 minutes). By completing this form, you are committing to attending at least 1 time slot.

No speaking experience required. Zoom Volunteer Orientation will be provided 1st week of March 2023.QUESTIONS?

Contact Program Director, Mira Bookman ([email protected])

NMCOG: Envision 2050 Focus Groups & Survey


The Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG) is developing a Long-Range Regional Transportation Plan called Envision 2050. As a part of that, we are conducting a public engagement process to understand and identify transportation needs in our region.  Envision 2050 is our comprehensive vision for the future of transportation in the NMCOG region. By projecting and planning for anticipated growth over 30 years, this plan will establish a foundation for cost-effective, energy-efficient, and equitable transportation options for all users. Over the next year, NMCOG staff are working directly with the constituents and city/town staff of Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Pepperell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford to develop our Envision 2050 Plan. Through a comprehensive evaluation of transportation services and community engagement, NMCOG will publish a report for the public. 

Northern Middlesex Council of Government (NMCOG) is embarking on Envision 2050 Long-Range Regional Transportation Plan, our comprehensive vision for the future of transportation in our region. Please take the Envision 2050 survey to help shape the future of transportation in our region. For more information on the plan, visit Envision 2050 website. Should you require assistance or have any questions related to this survey, or the transportation planning process, please contact the NMCOG office at 978‐454‐8021 or contact Justin Howard at [email protected].

  •        Envision 2050 Pedestrian/Bicyclist Focus Group: Virtual, January 17, 2023, 12 pm – 1 pm: Register here.
  •       Envision 2050 Transit Focus Group: Virtual, January 19, 2023, 12 pm – 1 pm: Register here.

Middlesex 3 and Project LEARN ‘Flip the Script’ on STEM Education

Lowell High School senior Adedayo Sanusi has her sights set on becoming a web developer and is already well on her way. This year, she re-sparked interest in an after-school Girls Who Code club at LHS with support from local nonprofit Project LEARN.

On Nov. 17, Adedayo was among six LHS student leaders passionate about IT and computer science who were invited to network with local industry professionals, and serve as student panelists.

“Flip the Script: An IT Roundtable Discussion,” held at Project LEARN’s Youth Innovation Space, was a collaboration between Project LEARN, Middlesex 3 Coalition, UMass Lowell, Middlesex Community College and MassHire. As an intern for Project LEARN, Adedayo gained firsthand experience in the behind-the-scenes planning of the event.

“Students like Adedayo are so driven to get involved and give back to the community,” said Mira Bookman, Project LEARN’s program director. “For my team and I, ‘Flip the Script’ means uplifting the voices of student leaders, and creating a forum for open dialogue between students, industry professionals, and workforce resources. 

The roundtable was moderated by Lowell High School 2022 Distinguished Alum and Project LEARN board member Siddhi Shah Chhoeng, the head of strategy development for MilliporeSigma.

Kenneth Chap, a LHS senior and co-founder of The Programming Initiative (TPI), asked how representation of Lowell students can be increased in hiring.

Michael Bogdan, president of Avail Project Management, said he hires employees based on experience.

“Internships are key to gaining experience early on,” Bogdan advised. “Companies should do more to strengthen the talent pipeline in a way that serves the needs of their company.”

Sanusi asked the group what challenges they face with diverse hiring.

Sam Francois, a senior advanced research engineer for CommScope in Lowell, said he studied at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he was among the 2% of the student body who was Black. He said he is also “the only person at work who looks like me.”

“The pools that are being recruited from don’t always reflect the community they’re in,” he said.

Francois added that although an employer should do more, to work through existing affinity groups or diverse professional societies in an effort to make people in those groups more aware of career opportunities.

The Director of Internal Communications at NetScout in Westford, Karen McCloskey, said it can be difficult to attract young diverse candidates to work in the suburbs when they would rather be in Boston or Cambridge. However, NetScout is actively working to get young people interested in their company by hosting hack-a-thons in different locations as a “fun way for us to get to know the students and for them to get to know us.”

When TPI co-founder and LHS junior Ibraheem Amin asked what steps high school students should take to break into the IT field, Chhoeng was quick to respond.

“Having IT knowledge is great,” said Chhoeng, “but it is more about having a desire to continue learning, having creative problem-solving skills, and good time management skills.”

Looking to the future, Victoria Prak, a LHS senior who is a member of both TPI and Girls Who Code, asked about the challenges facing the IT sector in the next five years and how we can work together to address these issues.

Tom O’Donnell, director of UMass Lowell’s iHub, said security, privacy and closing the equity gap on issues like broadband access will continue to be big challenges in IT. Today, more and more discoveries in life sciences are being made through the use of IT tools rather than time working in the research lab, which is why it’s critical to build community connections that strengthen IT education.

Lowell High senior Elyjah Delius, vice president of the school’s chapter of the Business Professionals of America, asked the attendees about pitfalls they faced in their journeys, professionally or personally, from which they learned.

“All of these experiences you have are opportunities to practice the skills that will take you far,” said Stephen Oliver, a professor at Salem State University and Project LEARN board member. “Say one thing every day in class and develop the habit of showing up.”

One of Lowell’s strengths is that it is a tight-knit community. “All of the resources are there,” said LZ Nunn, Project LEARN’s executive director. “Our job is to connect students with them.”

Funds for HS STEM Internship Program Awarded to the GLWFB

The Greater Lowell Workforce Board has been awarded a STEM- Focused Internship grant in the amount of $150,000.

“The purpose of these grants is to provide stipend support to increase high school students’ (9-12th grade) access to highly engaging STEM internships, particularly in schools enrolled in schools with high concentrations of low-income and historically disadvantaged student populations, to explore and prepare for a STEM Career in the Commonwealth.

Through this grant, the Commonwealth hopes to expose students to exciting career opportunities in STEM while also
building the pipeline of talent in potential employees in the Commonwealth.”

The Greater Lowell Workforce Board (MassHire) will administer the funds to businesses that hire an intern to work on STEM projects in 2023 (approximately 100 hours/student). 

For more information on eligibility and how to apply for the Internship funds, please contact, Katy Gentile at the Greater Lowell Workforce Board, [email protected].